episode_0218

About 5 hours passed.

The results of this second battle were devastating. 1-A’s casualties: 1. And the casualties of the Anti-Narias Union that attacked them: a total of 112. If it had been a real battle, the casualties would have been over 100 times that.

In chronological order, first Eve’s Alpha Squad cleanly dealt with a total of 32 attackers and gained 471 points.

10 points per attacker for a total of 320 points, plus an additional 151 points—half of the 302 points the attackers possessed.

They seemed to have hunted many magical beasts on their way here from afar.

Next, Yuri’s Delta Squad eliminated 51 attackers and gained 510 points. In this case, the attackers didn’t possess any points. It seems they moved quickly without wasting time, focusing on hunting Yuri rather than hunting magical beasts.

Then, 1-A suffered a casualty. While the Union was in disarray due to Yuri’s massacre, Andrew’s Beta Squad became the next target. Even the support troops heading towards Yuri’s battlefield turned back to attack Andrew.

But they were also battle mages specializing in close combat. Thanks to Nari’s instructions and the active use of hit-and-away tactics, they were able to minimize damage.

Then Eve’s Alpha Squad joined in and cleaned things up neatly. They completely wiped out the remaining 80 or so people, with both squads gaining nearly 500 points each.

Rosaria’s Gamma Squad stayed in place. They judged it to be disadvantageous to reveal themselves. They returned to the safe zone with Yuri’s Delta Squad for a period of reorganization.

First, approximately 3 hours were spent on the recapture operation of the exit zone, and then about 5 hours on the subsequent attack defense. A total of 8 hours have passed. Considering the total time of the exam, about 10% has been completed.

Despite that, nearly 200 out of the total 500 participants were eliminated. It was truly a time of a great battle. Mety, the main commentator, literally reported the situation until she was hoarse.

“Whew… I’m sorry, everyone~ It seems Mety pushed herself a little too hard. I’ll let her rest and call in my younger sister, Reti~”

She exited the commentary booth, supported by her older sister, Shuti. The audience, still reeling from the intense battle, watched her leave with a slightly dazed expression. Applause continued unabated in each relatively calm martial arts arena.

“Yes, this is Reti, taking over the commentary from Mety. However… it seems everyone has exhausted their strength in the previous battle, as they are showing little movement.”

“Oh, Reti. Don’t be so happy that you have nothing to do! Your mouth is practically reaching your ears~”

“…That is not the case. Of course, I’m glad Mety just commented on the battle, but that’s because her high energy level suited the broadcasting of such an intensely fought match. If I had done the commentary, even with the same battle, my energy would have plummeted.”

“Hmm~ That’s true. A good older sister thinking of her younger sibling, indeed! Everyone, give applause, for the wonderful sister, Reti, and hardworking Mety~”

“No, don’t tease me…!!”

Hahaha—

Everyone in the audience laughed. The chemistry between the sisters never got old. However, there was a lack of energy in their laughter. They had expended too much energy just a short while ago to laugh heartily.

The battlefield inside the dungeon entered a rest period. Everyone stopped fighting other parties and started hunting or searching for magical tools.

It’s unavoidable. A large-scale union formed by grades crumbled before the single 1-A party. The union included fourth-year students. Even a rough numerical comparison of experience at the academy shows a difference of approximately three times or more.

The numbers weren’t child’s play either. It was a complete defeat, both qualitatively and quantitatively. So everyone avoided combat for the time being. Even if they passed hunting areas and encountered other parties, they tactfully went their separate ways.

“Everyone is avoiding fights. It can’t be helped. I’ll show you the projected overall score here, and 1-A is leading by an absolute margin with over 2,000 points. The tally for the second-place party is still pending, but there seem to be no parties that have exceeded 500 points. The gap is too great to overcome.”

“With such a large gap, wouldn’t this be the perfect opportunity to attack the 1-A party? Most of them are tired from the recent battle, and since they have a lot of points, the bonus points you get for eliminating them would also be high~”

“That’s not necessarily the case. There are two reasons. One is the remaining members of 1-A who are still hidden. They haven’t used their full power yet. They are still conserving their strength. Attacking them now will only result in the same situation.”

“It was a life-or-death crisis in the eyes of others, yet they didn’t give it their all… This older sister is starting to get scared~”

“Next is the point acquisition source. Many participants have been eliminated due to this battle. The number of competitors has decreased. Instead of forcibly engaging in battle with 1-A, hunting the magical beasts teeming in the magical beast areas will be more efficient.”

Reti continued her eloquent explanation. Her opinions were concise and clear, making them easy for the audience to understand.

If Mety’s commentary was a hot summer that stirred emotions, Reti’s commentary was a cool winter that resonated clearly. Their individual characteristics were unique, making them enjoyable to listen to.

The ones getting the short end of the stick were the commentators. With Mety, even if their commentary was interrupted, they could at least secure some airtime. In contrast, in front of Reti, who smoothly continued her intelligent commentary, they couldn’t even hold the microphone.

They began to leave one by one, wiping their glistening hair.

It wasn’t only the commentators and participants who were exhausted. The audience, having watched the exciting match for 8 hours, were also completely drained.

Some were leaving as the most interesting part was over, while others were coming to fill the empty seats and relaxing. Everyone has their own way of enjoying it.

The dungeon, the commentary booth, and the audience seats all transitioned into a calm atmosphere. It was already night outside the martial arts arena.

The sun was also setting inside the dungeon.

…

…

…

“Fire Bolt—!”

Whoosh—

The cadets lit the dry firewood they had gathered. As the sun set and it grew dark, it was time to make a bonfire. Although there was little risk of magical beasts or other enemies intruding, it was essential to ward off the darkness and cold.

The first supply time had arrived. Various items arrived through the portal in the safe zone where they first entered. It included simple food, sleeping bags, and antidotes and potions for emergencies.

The 1-A cadets gathered in small groups around the bonfires that were lit throughout the safe zone. Unlike the warmth they felt during the day, the night had become quite chilly. These cadets, who had never been on an adventure before, offered their boundless gratitude for the power of the bonfire they were experiencing for the first time.

Their hands held small containers filled with food: soup with meat. It was designed to be easily cooked in emergency situations, so it wasn’t the highest quality food.

But combat rations eaten after a short rest following a march were tastier than any Michelin-starred dish.

Slurp-

“Th-this…”

“This is…heaven…?”

The cadets were exhausted from the fierce battles of the day. Even gruel would taste delicious to them. Meat? Even a few pieces of cheap scraps of meat would be received with humble gratitude.

They tossed aside their usual dignity and buried their faces in the instant cook containers, gobbling it up in a hurry.

Yuri also took a sip of the broth, savoring the taste slowly. Aside from providing warmth, it stimulated her appetite. Looking closely at the soup’s solids, she saw various herbs added.

‘This is educational too.’

When she went on an adventure to the Artemis ruins in the past, Yuri took on the role of meal preparation. After researching preserved food with various books, she recreated the taste of her usual 3-star meals in the dungeon.

However, there was one problem. While she could guarantee taste and satiety, it was difficult to achieve more.

Yuri reflected a little. Even though the soup she was drinking now didn’t use particularly high-quality ingredients, the various herbs worked synergistically to aid in energy recovery. It would probably be easier to preserve, too.

Even in a short rest period, she never stopped her efforts to learn.

…

…

…

Clink—

After finishing her meal, Yuri gathered the dishes and decided to take a walk.

The river under the bright moon. It was a beautiful scene, to the point that she almost forgot this was inside a dungeon. Or was it based on real-life scenery? The mountains and water harmonized to create a painting.

She was suddenly reminded of the landscape paintings of her homeland. Yamato was an island nation surrounded by the sea, but beautiful nature awaited when one went inland. The bamboo forest path adorned with lanterns still appeared in her dreams.

Even with such beautiful scenery, she wasn’t in a good mood because there was no one to walk with. Yuri thought about wanting to visit with Her Highness next time.

Clink—

Walking along the river, she saw the source of water flowing down from a high mountain. From the gently flowing lower reaches to the rushing upper reaches, all gathered in one place.

And next to it, a girl with light sky-blue hair stood with her hair flowing down.

Yuri slowly approached Eve.

“You’re not resting?”

Jolt-

Startled by her voice, Eve trembled slightly. After turning her head to confirm Yuri’s presence, she quietly sat down by the river.

“I am resting.”

“I meant, do you not need to sleep?”

“…Later.”

Her voice was slightly grumpy. She seemed to want Yuri to leave quickly. Yuri, who was good at reading people, immediately understood her intentions.

However, she smiled innocently as if she knew nothing. Then, with light steps, she trampled through the underbrush and sat down beside Eve.

“Whew…”

“Have we ever talked like this before?”

“I don’t remember.”

The conversation was regressive. One of them had no intention of continuing the conversation at all. Seeing that, Yuri was reminded of the moment she first met Her Highness.

She had been skilled at interacting with people, able to forcibly advance a conversation even if the other person didn’t want to engage.

Smirk-

“Shall we talk about someone you like?”